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Red Ruggiero
Mrs. Butorac
Honors English Foundations 1
23 April 2016
The Demands of a Successful Survivor
Survival can be summed up in three words - Never give up. Thats the heart of it really.
Just keep trying. ~ Bear Grylls, Survivalist. Stories of survival are always the most intriguing,
bringing forth questions regarding how a person managed to persevere under extreme
circumstances. Those who withstand hardships to triumph over a difficult situation have actually
been shown to have similar qualities, which improve their chances when pressed with towering
odds. They are separated into 3 different groups: Mental, physical, and emotional skills. One
example of a person who utilized all of these skills is Lieutenant Commander Henry Lee Plage, a
member of Admiral William F. Bull Halseys Third Fleet. Operating about 300 miles off the
shore of Luzon in the Philippines, Halseys fleet had been conducting air raids against the
Japanese. However, during their refueling process, they were blindsided by a typhoon, which
split the fleet apart and capsized 3 destroyers. This is where Plage comes into play; even though
his destroyer escort, the USS Tabberer, had suffered extreme damage during the storm, he
decided to turn back into the typhoon to rescue Navy sailors from the capsized ships. Plages iron
will, along with unwavering determination and positivity ended up inspiring his crew, leading to
the rescue of 55 men from the raging seas. Furthermore, what made this even more incredible
was that it was performed against Halseys orders to meet along the coast of Luzon, outside of
the storm. His background - a first-year commander with an exceptionally young crew (most
were early twenties or younger) - proves that anybody can be a successful survivor, even in

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extreme situations, by utilizing proper mental, physical, and emotional skills.
As for the mental aspect of survival, it is second to none in terms of importance. Mental
skills are what allow a person to keep their head on straight per say. This influences their
physical actions, choices, and even their emotions. A clear, calm mind is imperative to successful
survival, allowing a person to keep their thoughts in check and to prevent the situation from
overwhelming them. This also allows them to be open to various options on how to best tackle
an obstacle, which may be different from conventional means.
First off, simply staying calm is the most relevant mental skill because it allows for clear
thinking in stressful situations. Al Siebert, a PhD well-known for his research on psychological
aspects of survival, has proven that the person who has the best chance of handling a situation
well is usually the one with the best mental maps, the best mental pictures or images, of what is
occurring around them, (Siebert). What is meant by mental pictures and images is the
persons ability to take in what is happening around them in an accurate manner, without any
distortion due to their mental fortitude. By staying calm and accepting the situation as it is, a
person is able to think more clearly about possible solutions and analyze the emotional states of
others in the survival situation to judge how helpful or unhelpful they may be, (Siebert). This is
parallel to Plages ability to stay focused on saving as many Navy men as possible, while
accepting the horrible typhoon conditions around him as they really were. So, by keeping a clear
mind, a person can evaluate the conditions around them accurately and increase the chances of
not only their own survival, but potentially others around them as well. Conversely, if a person
does not implement this skill, instead resorting to fear, anger, or frustration, their mind will have
incorrect or distorted constructions of what is happening around them, making the situation
even more dire (Siebert). This will narrow a persons vision and responsive choices, effectively

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lowering their ability to think straight and make rational decisions. Another aspect of mental
acuity that must be utilized by people struggling to survive is strengthening their will to survive,
believing in rescue. This can possibly be a huge hurdle for people to overcome, especially if
everything seems to be going wrong for them. They can just refuse to believe help is coming and
simply give up, which can lead to serious consequences. However, there are many ways of
pulling yourself out of that mental state. Modern Survivor Magazine, a popular source for
knowledge about survival, suggests that ideas such as thinking of loved ones, faith in God,
good friends and/or pets, can assist in this regard. (Modern Survivor Magazine). These can
rejuvenate a persons determination to survive, giving them reason to keep fighting for survival.
Plage was able to employ this tactic by keeping the safety of his men and the floaters at the
forefront of his mind, motivating him to fight the storm and triumph in his mission. Additionally,
a person needs to realize that in this day and age if you are missing for more than 24 hours
beyond your expected return, you can be almost certain that a search and rescue operation will be
launched to seek out your location (Modern Survivor Magazine). This realization may also
assist in strengthening a persons will to survive, as they know deep down that somebody is
searching for them. If they can will themselves to believe that they will be found, it makes their
mental state even better. Obviously, if these concepts arent involved in a persons mentality, they
will have a very low rate of survival. Lastly, a person must be able to plan and adapt logically to
be able to overcome various obstacles. They will be faced with some challenging decisions, but
the important thing is that you weigh up the pros and cons of each scenario quickly, and be
decisive in your decision making, (Modern Survivor Magazine). Especially in dire
circumstances, decisions need to be quick, whether right or wrong, because indecision can allow
panic and fear to settle in. When planning, a person needs to take this possibility into account and

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follow through with their ideas with confidence. Even if the decision ended up not being the best
option, it needs to be accepted that most plans will never play out as you originally intended,
(Modern Survivor Magazine). Adaption comes into play here; when there is a fault in the plan,
the survivor needs to be able to adapt and revise it so that is does work, raising their ability to
cope with unexpected obstacles. This is parallel to when the mast and radio antenna on the USS
Tabberer snapped, which caused Plage to have to alter his plan and methods of sailing to reach
the stranded men. In consequence of not using this mental skill, a person will have to rely on
their wits and instinct alone, which has an unpredictable result.
Physical skills fall behind mental ones, but have massive importance to anybody stuck in
a situation of endurance. These skills can prove to be exceptionally useful in terms of getting
rescued. However, these abilities need to be used in moderation, or else negative impacts like
fatigue and dehydration could affect the chances of survival. Additionally, they can be a great
option to battle factors such as cold or boredom.
Primarily, a survivors physical goal should be to find shelter and await rescue. This
includes finding materials, establishing a camp, and creating rescue signals. All of these actions
relate to the physical side of survival. By scavenging the surrounding landscape, a person is able
to stay active and make a positive contribution to their campsite, which in turn boosts their
chances of making it until help arrives. Conversely, if a person does not spend enough time - or
devotes too much time - constructing a camp, they will not be as prepared to handle the
elements, along with potentially being exhausted. This leads directly into the next topic:
Maintaining a daily exercise routine. It is a concept that seems particularly obvious, but one that
can easily be overlooked in the distress correlated with being stranded. Daily exercise will give a
routine to focus on while also helping to combat fatigue, boredom and cold, (Modern

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Survivor Magazine). Plus, the more physically fit a person is, the more they will be able to
achieve in a days work, effectively contributing to their success in the situation. The
recommended amount of exercise per day, according to Modern Survivor Magazine, is at least
15-20 minutes doing push-ups, sit-ups, chins and/or running, (Modern Survivor Magazine).
Its very important to not overwork while following this routine. Similar to making a campsite,
working too much can be detrimental to a persons well-being. Last, but not least, is the skill of
hunting and locating a water source to drink from. This will be the primary source of food for a
person stranded in the wilderness. The knowledge of edible and nonedible plants is important to
go along with being able to construct objects like traps to obtain meat. For example, acorns, pine
needles, and daisies are all edible when boiled to remove bitterness (Stevenson and Fromme).
Knowing this can help provide a sustainable food source if finding meat is proving to be a
challenge, since all of them are very common. As for finding a water source, a person needs to
know how much water they will need by estimating the amount of water lost per day. Jason
Stevenson and Alison Fromme, two researchers from California State University, explain that on
average, in a temperate climate, a person loses an average of 1.5 liters of water every 24 hours,
(Stevenson and Fromme). To stay alive, a person will need to replace at least 1 liter every 24
hours, which could potentially raise due to physical exertion (Stevenson and Fromme). So, in
order to fuel themselves, a person will have to find a reliable source of water that can support
their water loss. If no source can be found, however, snow or ice can be used to create drinking
water by melting it over a stove or by filling a bottle one-third full with snow or ice and onethird with water and placing it in a warm location (Stevenson and Fromme). Without following
the imperative skills of hunting and locating water, death is nearly certain due to dehydration or
starvation.

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Emotional skills - not to be mistaken with mental skills - are the third most important
component in successful survival. The less emotional a person is, the more likely they are to
think logically in a clear, concise manner. It takes real talent to be able to suppress strong
emotions like fear and hopelessness, which successful survivors are able to do, like Plages
ability to combat both his own and his crews horror of the typhoon.
The most relevant of the skills in this group is fighting feelings of terror or helplessness
to push on, even when ones body signals them not to. Although fear can be a good emotion
that lets us know to be careful, it can be over dramatized and cloud the ability to think and act
logically and even hamper physical ability, (Modern Survivor Magazine). This can only
negatively impact a persons chances; their mind can react with hallucinations, irritability, and a
movie reel of worst-case scenarios, (Stevenson and Fromme). By dealing with these emotions,
one can stay focused on their objectives rather than on what potential consequences could be. In
turn, more will be accomplished by not viewing everything in a negative manner, similar to
Plage keeping his crew as confident as possible to avoid an eventual downfall. Coincidentally,
this leads into the next skill: Maintaining a happy, positive attitude. Accomplishing this feat can
be as simple as repeating a helpful phrase such as, I can do this. (Stevenson and Fromme).
By keeping up a good attitude, one can remove thoughts of their situation getting the better them
and provide reassurance that they are not entirely at the mercy of the elements, (Modern
Survivor Magazine). Once again, the concept of not allowing the situation to grow strength out
of fear shows, proving that it is a major setback that must be avoided. The last skill under this
category is maintaining an emotional balance. This refers to ones ability to rebound from a
particularly stressful circumstance to a stable emotional state. As is proven, lifes best
survivors are able to regain emotional balance quickly, adapt, and cope well in the toughest

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situations (Siebert). This is exactly like Henry Lee Plage, who quickly bounced back from any
debilitating events to a stoic persona. They dont allow any events to break them down, keeping
a steadfast hold on their goals. In the big picture, this boosts their chances a ton. Without these
emotional talents, one would be left in the dangerous clutches of panic and terror, leading down
an unfortunate path of failure.
As shown, a survivor is not superhuman, but merely one who utilizes their mental,
physical, and emotional skills to the fullest. They keep a strong hold on their emotions,
preventing them from wavering their focus from necessary objectives. Along with this, they can
take advantage of a clear, calm mind providing useful, logical thoughts. Last, but not least, they
employ physical talents to persevere in any conditions. All of these prove their use time and time
again; even Plage harnessed them to battle his way through a raging typhoon with a ship in
critical condition, ending in the successful rescue of fellow adrift Navy men. Therefore, the best
survivors are not any different from you; each and every human being has these talents, they just
need to be unlocked and used to their full potential.

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Works Cited
"Psychological Aspects of Survival." Survivormagazinecom RSS. Modern Survivor Magazine, 21
Oct. 2010. Web. 12 Apr. 2016.
Siebert, Al, PhD, and Bernie Siegel, MD. "The Survivor Personality Chapter One." Practical
Psychology Press Bookstore. 2010 Berkley/Perigee Publishing, 12 Nov. 2014. Web. 12 Apr.
2016.
Siebert, Al, PhD. "The Survivor Personality." (n.d.): n. pag.Www.thrivenet.com. Berkley/Perigee
Books, 2007. Web. 12 Apr. 2016.
Stevenson, Jason, and Alison Fromme. "Action Skills." A Brief Primer of Helping Skills (n.d.):
101-24. Www.csustan.edu. Backpacker. Web. 12 Apr. 2016.